You will need to install a driver/plug-in so Cricut Design Space can communicate with your Cricut Explore™ machine and to access all the creative features of Cricut Design Space™ has to offer. The plugin is installed onto your computer and executed by your browser, so if you use Design Space™ on more than one computer, you’ll need to install it on each one.

The Cricut Design Space™ plug-in will require periodic updates. When available, you will be prompted to download the driver/plugin update before opening a new project.

Cricut Explore™ was designed to work with Cricut Design Space™, rather than as a stand-alone machine. However, you can still use cartridges you own with your Cricut Explore™. This can be done by linking your cartridges to Cricut Design Space using the port on your Cricut Explore machine, linking your cartridges to the Cricut Craft Room® design software, or linking your cartridges to your Cricut Gypsy™ device and then linking your Gypsy to your Cricut.com account.

You can link your Cricut cartridges to your Cricut Explore™ by clicking on the green account name box in the upper left of Cricut Design Space™ and choosing Cartridge Linking from the menu. Then simply follow the on-screen instructions.

If the cartridge is not recognized when you try to link it to Cricut Design Space™, try removing the cartridge and reinserting it backwards. You can remove the cartridge and blow into the bottom of the cartridge to remove any possible dust or debris from the contacts. If the cartridge still will not link to Cricut Design Space™, please contact Customer Support at 1.877.727.4288.

If you are still experiencing difficulty, contact customer care at 1-877-7CRICUT for assistance.

You can use the Cut What You Want® feature to upload and cut most design files saved as .jpg, .gif, .png, .bmp, .svg, or .dxf free of charge. Cricut encourages you to respect the intellectual property rights of others and only use images you own or are authorized to use.

To get the best results when using the Cut What You Want® feature to upload your own designs; use simple, clean images with simple details and colors. Also, for best results use images that have a strong contrast between the subject and background.

You can upload and use most images you own, provided they are saved in an accepted file format. Accepted file formats are as .jpg, .gif, .png, .bmp, .svg, or .dxf. It is FREE to cut any accepted file type.

The Attach feature will hold your cuts in position, so images on the cutting mat will appear exactly as they show up on your design screen. (If items are not attached, Cricut Design Space will cut in paper saver mode, meaning it will automatically place objects on the cutting mat as close together as possible to conserve material.)

Step 1. Select "Set Canvas" from the design screen to pull up the canvas library.

Step 2. Select "Basic Canvas." You will be taken back to the design screen and the canvas will show in the background. Tip: The canvas will represent your mat but will not cut.

Step 3. Using the canvas panel, size the canvas the max size of your cuts. Tip: If using a 12" x 12" mat this would be 11.5" x 11.5". If you are using a 12" x 24 mat, this would be 11.5" x 23.5".

Step 6. Prior to cutting, attach all images to hold the position in placed. Tip: Select images by color and then attach if you would like them to cut on different mats. Select all images if you want to cut everything on the same mat, and then attach. This will change the images to all the same color.

Step 7. Click "GO" to review the project in the mat preview and then follow on screen prompts to finish the project.

"Writing style" or single stroke fonts are specifically designed to be drawn with a pen. They feature letters with single strokes so they appear similar to handwritten text. Some Cricut fonts have been specifically designed as single stroke fonts. View the video "Writing style fonts" for more information.

Cricut Explore is compatible only with Cricut pens. These pens have been designed with the correct diameter and height to fit perfectly in the accessory adapter and write well with the machine.

Each web browser has different settings for printable area size, which means that Print then Cut images have different maximum sizes depending on the browser you use. If you save a project in one browser and later open it another, you may need to adjust the image’s size according to the browser’s printable area settings. Below is a guideline for maximum Print then Cut image sizes in each browser.

Google Chrome: 5.5" x 8"

Internet Explorer: 6" x 8.5"

Mozilla Firefox: 6" x 8.5"

Safari: 6" x 8.5"

Use 8 ½ x 11" white materials for all your Print then Cut projects. Colored materials or materials containing any kind of pattern may interfere with the cut sensor marks being read by the Cricut Explore® machine. Please use the cutting mat appropriate for your printable material. We recommend using the Cricut® LightGrip mat with any type of copy paper.

Print then cut images are unable to be moved around on the mat preview. If you would like your images to be positioned differently than shown (closer together) follow these steps.

Step 1. Select "Set Canvas" from the design screen to pull up the canvas library.

Step 2. Select "Basic Canvas." You will be taken back to the design screen and the canvas will show in the background. Tip: The canvas will represent your print then cut area but will not cut.

Step 4. Create your project positioning all the images inside the canvas ensuring no two images are touching.

Step 5. Prior to cutting, select all images and then "Flatten" to hold the position in placed. Tip: Images will print as positioned but still cut out individually.

Step 6. Click "GO" to review the project in the mat preview and then follow on screen prompts to finish the project.

If the new update doesn’t seem to be working, you may need to clear your browser’s cache. Open your preferred browser and then on your computer keyboard, press the Ctrl+Shift+Delete keys for PC or Shift+Command+Delete keys for Mac. The next steps will differ based on the browser you are using.

Chrome

Step 1. A new tab will open and the “Clear browsing data” window will be displayed.

Step 2. Under the drop down menu “Obliterate the following items from” select a time that was before your latest plugin update or select “the beginning of time” option.

Step 3. Add a check to the box next to “Cookies and other site and plug-in data” and “Cached images and files”. Choose additional options if desired.

Step 4. Click “Clear browsing data.” The window will close when the process is complete.

Internet Explorer

Step 1. The “Delete Browsing History” window will open.

Step 2. Add a check to the box next to “Temporary Internet files and website files” and “Cookies and website data”. Choose additional options if desired.

Step 3. Click “Delete” at the bottom of the window. The window will close when the process is complete.

Mozilla Firefox

Step 1. The “Clear All History” window will open.

Step 2. Under the drop down menu “Time range to clear:” select a time that was before your latest plugin update or select the “Everything” option.

Step 3. Add a check to the box next to “Cookies” and “Cache.” Choose additional options if desired.

Step 4. Click “Clear Now.” The window will close when the process is complete.

Safari

Step 1. A “Reset Safari” window will open.

Step 2. Add a check to the box next to “Remove all website data” and “Clear the Downloads window.” Choose additional options if desired.

Step 3. Click “Reset.” The window will close when the process is complete.

Finally, close and reopen your browser and the return to cricut.com/design. If this does not fix the problem your plugin may be blocked. Please reference “How do I unblock the Cricut Plugin?”

If the new update doesn’t seem to be working, you may need to clear your browser’s cache. Open your preferred browser and then on your computer keyboard, press the Ctrl+Shift+Delete keys for PC or Shift+Command+Delete keys for Mac. The next steps will differ based on the browser you are using.

Chrome

Step 1. A new tab will open and the “Clear browsing data” window will be displayed.

Step 2. Under the drop down menu “Obliterate the following items from” select a time that was before your latest plugin update or select “the beginning of time” option.

Step 3. Add a check to the box next to “Cookies and other site and plug-in data” and “Cached images and files”. Choose additional options if desired.

Step 4. Click “Clear browsing data.” The window will close when the process is complete.

Internet Explorer

Step 1. The “Delete Browsing History” window will open.

Step 2. Add a check to the box next to “Temporary Internet files and website files” and “Cookies and website data”. Choose additional options if desired.

Step 3. Click “Delete” at the bottom of the window. The window will close when the process is complete.

Mozilla Firefox

Step 1. The “Clear All History” window will open.

Step 2. Under the drop down menu “Time range to clear:” select a time that was before your latest plugin update or select the “Everything” option.

Step 3. Add a check to the box next to “Cookies” and “Cache.” Choose additional options if desired.

Step 4. Click “Clear Now.” The window will close when the process is complete.

Safari

Step 1. A “Reset Safari” window will open.

Step 2. Add a check to the box next to “Remove all website data” and “Clear the Downloads window.” Choose additional options if desired.

Step 3. Click “Reset.” The window will close when the process is complete.

Finally, close and reopen your browser and the return to cricut.com/design. If this does not fix the problem your plugin may be blocked. Please reference “How do I unblock the Cricut Plugin?”

The easiest way to unblock your Cricut Plugin is through the browser Google Chrome.

Step 1. Open the browser Google Chrome.

Step 2. Click on the address bar at the top of the browser. The current URL or web address will be highlighted.

Step 3. Enter the web address chrome://plugins

Step 4. Locate the Cricut plugin and click “Enable.”

Step 5. Add a check to the box next to “Always Allowed”

Step 6. Close and reopen the browser and return to cricut.com/design, your plugin is now enabled.

Should you not have Google Chrome on your system or prefer to use a different browser, use the instructions or links below to unblock the Cricut plugin.

Mozilla Firefox: Click on the menu icon, select add-ons, click Plugins from the left menu, find the Cricut plugin and then use the drop down menu to select “Always Activate.”

If this does not fix the problem you may need to also clear your cache. Please reference “What should I do if the new update doesn’t seem to be working correctly?”

There are several reasons why it may take time to upload an image. The larger the image file, the longer it will take for the software to convert the image. If you are working with a large image file, a warning will appear indicating that it may take longer than usual to process the image.

If you did not get a warning and the upload process seems to be taking a long time, it may be that your Cricut plugin is being blocked. The easiest way to unblock your Cricut Plugin is through the browser Google Chrome.

Step 1. Open the browser Google Chrome.

Step 2. Click on the address bar at the top of the browser. The current URL or web address will be highlighted.

If this does not fix the problem you may need to also clear your cache. Please reference “What should I do if the new update doesn’t seem to be working correctly?”

If you have downloaded the Cricut plugin and you are unable to advance in the process, it may mean you have a blocked plugin. The easiest way to unblock your Cricut Plugin is through the browser Google Chrome.

Step 1. Open the browser Google Chrome.

Step 2. Click on the address bar at the top of the browser. The current URL or web address will be highlighted.

The code can only be used once. If the code has been entered exactly as shown and you receive an invalid serial code message, the content has most likely been linked to your Cricut account. To find the content, follow these steps.

Step 1. If you are logged into Cricut Design Space, log out and close your browser.

Step 4. From the design screen, click “Insert Images” to open the Cricut Image Library.

Step 5. Click on the filter on the top, right side of your screen to sort images by Ownership, Type or Layers.

Step 6. Click on the “Free” filter. This will display all the images that came with your machine.

Tip: Click on additional filters to narrow down the images that are displayed. “Reset All” will clear all filters.

If you updated your machine’s firmware and the power button stays red, you need to update your plugin and then start the firmware process again. Update the Cricut plugin and do a firmware update on your machine by following these steps:

Step 7. Go to the “Downloads” folder and then double click the Cricut Design Space file

Step 8. The plugin installer will open to set up Cricut Design Space™. Click “Next” to continue.

Step 9. Review and accept the Terms of use. Click “Next” to continue.

Step 10. You will need to close all browsers. To proceed, click “Quit and Continue.” You may lose any unsaved work that is currently open in your browser unless it is saved at this point. When you are ready to continue, click “Yes.”

Step 11. Decide if you would like a shortcut to Cricut Design Space™ on your computer’s desktop. Click “Next” to continue.

Step 12. You are ready to install the plugin. Click “Next” to begin the process.

Step 13. Depending on your computer settings a security question may appear asking if you would like to install the device software from Provo Craft & Novelty, Inc. Click “Install” to continue.

Step 14. The Cricut Design Space™ plugin has successfully installed. If you would like to automatically launch Design Space® into your default browser, leave the box checked and clicked “Finish.”

Step 15. Go to www.cricut.com/design and sign in with your Cricut ID.

Tip: Follow this link for visuals on updating the firmware on your machine:

Step 16. Power on your Cricut® machine and connect it to your computer.

Cricut Explore® machines must be connected via USB; firmware update is not available over Bluetooth®
Cricut Explore Air® machines can be updated update via Bluetooth® or USB

Step 17. Click “Update” to begin.

Step 18. Your Cricut machine’s firmware will begin the updating process. A progress bar will appear on the screen and your machine’s power button will turn red, indicating that an update is in progress. Please do not disconnect the machine.

Tip: If the connection with your machine is lost during a firmware update, make sure your machine is connected to your computer and powered on. You may need to restart the process by manually updating the firmware in Design Space®. Click “Retry” to start the process again.

Step 19. Once the update is completed, your machine will automatically turn on. Click “Close” when this process is complete.

If you updated your machine’s firmware and the power button stays red, you need to update your plugin and then start the firmware process again. Update the Cricut plugin and do a firmware update on your machine by follow these steps:

Step 7. Go to the “Downloads” folder and then double click the Cricut Design Space zip file. Tip: You may need to unzip the file. Once this is completed, double click the unzipped file.

Step 8. Depending on your computer settings a warning that this application has been downloaded from the Internet may appear. If it does, click “Open” to continue.

Step 9. Depending on your computer settings, you may be prompted to enter your administrator name and password. Enter the information and click “OK” to continue.

Step 10. The plugin installer will open to set up Cricut Design Space™. Click “Next” to continue.

Step 11. Review and accept the Terms of use. Click “Next” to continue.

Step 12. You will need to close all browsers. To proceed, click “Quit and Continue.” You may lose any unsaved work that is currently open in your browser if you do not first save it. When you are ready to continue, click “Yes.”

Step 13. You are ready to install the plugin. Click “Next” to begin the process.

Step 14. The Cricut Design Space™ plugin has successfully installed. If you would like to automatically launch Design Space® into your default browser, leave the box checked and clicked “Finish.”

Step 15. Go to www.cricut.com/design and sign in with your Cricut ID.

Tip: Follow this link for visuals on updating the firmware on your machine:

Step 16. Power on your Cricut® machine and connect it to your computer.

• Cricut Explore® machines must be connected via USB; firmware update is not available over Bluetooth®
• Cricut Explore Air® machines can be updated update via Bluetooth® or USB

Step 17. Click “Update” to begin.

Step 18. Your Cricut machine’s firmware will begin the updating process. A progress bar will appear on the screen and your machine’s power button will turn red, indicating that an update is in progress. Please do not disconnect the machine.

Tip: If the connection with your machine is lost during a firmware update, make sure your machine is connected to your computer and powered on. You may need to restart the process by manually updating the firmware in Design Space®. Click “Retry” to start the process again.

Step 19. Once the update is completed, your machine will automatically turn on. Click “Close” when this process is complete.

Your trial subscription gives you unlimited access to over 25,000 images in the Cricut® Image Library. (Please note that subscription plans do not include access to exclusive and/or licensed content.)

For your convenience, subscription plans are automatically renewed. Should you choose to discontinue your subscription, it can be done straight from Cricut Design Space. You will need to be logged into your account to complete this process.

Step 1. Click the arrow next to your name in the top right corner of Design Space and select account detail.

Step 2. Click on the "Edit Account" button.

Step 3. This will take you directly to your account information on Cricut.com. Select the subscription option on the left side of the screen.

Step 4. This will show you your current subscription details and give you the option to "cancel auto renew".

Tip: Subscriptions can be cancelled at any time. However, the subscription term will run through the end of the subscribed time period and any unused time will not be refunded. For instance, if you cancel a monthly subscription, the subscription will end at the conclusion of the monthly billing cycle. If you cancel a yearly subscription, the subscription will end at the conclusion of the yearly billing cycle.

Once your setup process is complete, your Cricut Explore® or Cricut Explore Air™ machine will be automatically linked to your Cricut account. The registration may not show up in your account details for several weeks.

Follow this link for instructions on how to calibrate your Cricut machine for print from your home printer and then cutting on your Cricut® machine.